And now for FO number 2 of 2010 and IntSweMoDo2010!

Pattern: Mondo Cable Cardi

Size: 34 (2″ positive ease)

Yarn: 4.5 x Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Charcoal (152)

Needle: 3.25mm (collar), 3.75mm (ribbing), 4.0mm

Modifications: I knit the body from shoulder to hem for about 19.5″ instead of 21″.

Pattern is clear and well-written. The collar is genius. GENIUS. I did have problems with the instructions at first. The trick is to just do it. Seriously.

I didn’t put the buttons and snaps on the cardi because I’m not going to wear it buttoned up to the neck. Too feckin’ hot.

The cables look pretty damn amazing in Cotton-Ease. The cardi is a little stiff due to knitting at a slightly smaller than recommended gauge for the yarn but I can live with it.

I think this will make a pretty comfy cardi for the freezing office. Also, I so need to learn to pose better. There goes my shot at being a suuupaaamodel.

My project on Ravelry

• Mondo Cable Cardi

I doubt I can finish another project by the last day of the year, which is tomorrow, so I’m going to do my review now.

At the beginning of the year, I told myself I’ll try to complete at least one project a month, and I did i.e. I finished more than 12 projects. I only blogged about 9 of them but I had a few scarves and hats done that I didn’t photograph before giving them away.

Looking at all the projects I’ve finished this year, it’s amazing that only one of them was for me. Everything else was either a gift or donated to charity.

List of completed projects in 2009:

1. Little Button Loafers (2-button)
2. Little Button Loafers (1-button)
3. Child’s Self-striping Hat
4. Who?
5. Rachel Lacy Rib Hat
6. One Row Handspun Scarf
7. Annette
8. Scrappy Lengthwise Scarf
9. One Row Handspun Scarf

I’m actively working on 3 projects at the moment and I’m happy to report they’re almost near completion.

Mondo Cable Cardi. I’ve actually done a lot more than shown in the pic. Second sleeve is almost completed. Collar and buttons left.

Buttercup. Few more rows on the body, neckline and sleeves to go.

February Lady Sweater. Started on first sleeve and buttons left to be sewn.

I have other projects on the needle that are due to be frogged because I know they won’t fit. Most of them will be reknitted for better fit.

My next post will most likely be in the new year so let me wish all you crafters out there a very happy new year in advance!

This has been completed for a while but I only just got around to photographing it.

Pattern: Annette

Size: S (knit at smaller gauge to give about 32″ size)

Yarn: slightly less than 5 x Knit Picks Shine Sport in Orchid

Needle: 4.0mm

Modifications: Started with 4 rows of seed stitch instead of 2. Did the same for sleeves. I also lengthened the body to 14″ by adding another buttonhole.

I knitted this cardigan twice! I started off knitting the XS thinking I was on gauge. Well, turns out my gauge was smaller and the cardigan was a little too small. Frogged it and knitted the S size instead. My smaller gauge meant that the cardigan came out to about 32″ instead of 34.25″.

The underarms were a bit too fitted for my liking. I can only wear sleeveless tops with this. I wish I’ve lengthened the sleeves.

Overall, this was a pretty simple lace pattern. Some people did have trouble keeping track of the lace but I didn’t have any problems.

Shine Sport is really comfortable to wear in hot and humid Singapore. I didn’t experience any significant shrinkage or growth after putting the cardigan through the wash once. However, it did lose some of its lustre and looked a little worn. There was also some fuzz when knitting with the yarn which tickled my nose.

My project on Ravelry

• Annette
  

This is Annette from Knitty Summer 2009. It’s almost complete. I just need to sew on the buttons and weave in ends and I’m done! Couldn’t resist taking a few pictures first though.

Annnd I’ve begun swatching for my next project! The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy and it came out pretty soft after throwing it into the washing machine.

My Project on Ravelry

• Annette

I had already finished the body and had started on the sleeves when I realised I had totally messed up the bottom of the body. I think I missed a row and switched the RS and WS so the border looked kind of funky. Gonna rip back and may add another inch or two at the same time.

I’m doing the sleeves on 2 circulars. I tried it previously when I was learning the Turkish cast-on and was delighted to find that I had barely no ladders when I used 2 circulars. I’m fine with slight laddering when knitting socks on DPNs but I had some fairly obvious ones when I was knitting the sleeves on my Gathered Cardi (not too obvious in the picture, I think) and that kind of suck some mighty bollocks.  Although I do find using 2 circulars kind of fiddly, I’m hoping it will eliminate the ladders on this cardigan. I should probably also learn magic loop so I don’t have to have doubles of every needle size.

Happy 2009 ahead, everyone. Here’s to a more knitty and crochety (not crotchety!) new year!

My Project on Ravelry

• Short-Sleeved Cardigan with Ribbing

Just need to tack the cuffs down and I’m done! Everyone enjoying the holiday season?

The cool weather has made me want to knit more cardigans and so I’ve started on the Short-Sleeved Cardigan with Ribbing from Fitted Knits. Mine’s going to have long sleeves instead.

My Projects on Ravelry

• Gathered Cardi
• Short-Sleeved Cardigan with Ribbing

I frogged my Cookie Cardigan (Liesl) and used the yarn for another cardigan pattern instead. The funny thing was I initially bought a bamboo/cotton blend for this pattern but the yarn turned out to be too drapey. I decided to switch yarn and will be using the bamboo/cotton blend for Liesl instead. The drapeyness will probably work better for a lacy pattern.

This cardigan is working up really fast with the endless stockinette. It’s perfect for mindless telly knitting. Not a big fan of the seed stitch though.

My Project on Ravelry

• Gathered Cardi

I haven’t had much time for knitting lately. After concentrating on my Butterscotch Cardigan last month, I decided it’s time to start a new knitting project (even though I still have some unfinished ones lying around!). I chose a simple top down pattern – Sassymetrical – this time round. I know it looks like a lump of crap at the moment…

Speaking of my Butterscotch Cardigan, I’ve completed the crocheting, seaming and have even woven in more than half the ends. I’ve yet to sew on the buttons though. It should be completed soon. I hope.

My Projects on Ravelry

• Butterscotch Cardigan
• Sassymetrical

I bought some cute buttons the other day and thought they’ll be perfect for the Butterscotch Cardigan.

FINALLY a crochet project that’s coming along nicely. I’ve completed the back and am working on the right front piece.

I’m trying to find more information on seaming crochet garment pieces. Anyone has any experience in this area and will like to offer some tips?

PS: Sorry about the craptastic pictures. Can’t seem to take any decent ones today.

PPS: I promise that the next project after this will not be a red one.

So what’s the cure for crochet frustration? Yep, you got it. A spanking new knit project. Just before the Ravelympics no less. That’s right, I like living life on the edge.

I’ve been dying to start on a crochet project for quite a while (last crochet project was the Lace Skirt a gazillion years ago!). I had my heart set on the Butterscotch Cardigan from Interweave Crochet Spring 2008 but I can’t quite seem to decide on a yarn. I tried swatching with Brown Sheep Cotton Fine but I couldn’t get gauge (note: gauge listed in the magazine was wrong). Since the cardigan’s worked side to side, I assume the row gauge is vital and I’m having trouble with that. I don’t really want to use any of the wool sock yarn since I don’t really wear wool. I contemplated Knit Picks Risata which I used for Breeze but it’s still too prickly to me.

While continuing my search for the perfect yarn for the Butterscotch, I decided I’ll also like to crochet the other cardigan by the same designer – Ocean Pearls Cardigan. Now, I already have 4 balls of the GGH Mystik used in the pattern so I decided to try my luck and see if I can get more in the same dye lot. Well, the online store I bought it from was out of stock. Then I saw that Stitchywitch is crocheting the same cardigan in Garnstudio Cotton Viscose which looks like it’ll be a perfect substitution.

The yarn’s super pretty, super shiny and perfectly cool for the humid weather here but it is also ohmyfreakingod super duper splitty.

Now, what the pattern didn’t tell you was this: Super Splitty Yarn + Crochet Bobbles = Nightmare

Seriously, I’m getting so frustrated doing the damn bobbles. There were bobbles that took 15 minutes to crochet.

15 minutes. 1 bobble.

And the whole cardigan is full of these blasted bobbles. At this rate, I’ll be looking forward to wearing this when I hit 80 years old, provided I don’t keel over and die from crochet frustration first. Now, that’s a cheerful thought.

To add insult to injury, my bobbles look like crap. It looks nothing like the neat little cardigan in the pattern. I don’t know if blocking is going to fix this. I think I should block what I have now and see if I want to continue. Alternative will be to replace the bobbles with something else. I don’t really want to crochet an entire cardigan just in double crochet stitches.

Oh hey, at least I’m not using red yarn.

As you can see, the knitting’s already done. In fact, it’s been done quite a while ago. I haven’t gotten round to putting on the buttons because I’m not sure I like how it looks on me. I did the longer version in the pattern and on hindsight, I think I prefer it shorter. Plus the lace portion flares out quite a bit so I’ll like to reknit it with a smaller needle.

The stitches under the armholes (where they are joined) are loose and loopy. Anyone has any idea how to improve this? If I’m ripping out the lace, I’ll probably rip to the armholes and certainly hope to make this look better. Also, the bind-off at the bottom certainly can be improved. Gaah.

Being relatively new to knitting (only picked it up last year) meant that I’m only slowly coming round to knit patterns that were wildly popular months or even years ago. One of such patterns is the Central Park Hoodie which was published in 2006.

I love hoodies and wear them all the time. Well, only in air-conditioned places of course, outside weather in Singapore is not exactly hoodie-friendly.

I’m knitting the hoodie in the Rowan All Seasons Cotton yarn I scored on eBay. Before I started the pattern, I even made a proper swatch, blocked and all! Of course, I also cheated and didn’t make a full size swatch but hey, for someone as lazy as me, it’s a miracle that I even swatched at all!

The pattern is really simple so far and works up pretty fast. I decided to go with short rows and three-needle bind off for the shoulder seams after reading the posts on the CPH group on Ravelry. The short rows did kick my arse a bit as I’ve never done it before.

I’m only up to the left front piece so far. I wonder if I can get this finished before June is out. I’m dying to start on the fabulous February Lady Sweater! I’ve always thought the baby version looks so cute!

Although I haven’t been posting, I’ve been knitting. I’ve decided to throw all caution to the wind and cast on for Juliet even though there’s a real possibility of insufficient yarn. I’ve no intention of doubling the yarn and figured I might just (barely) make it since I’m also really petite.

And this pattern is kicking my ass. Big time.

I’ve been reading all the posts on Ravelry and the general consensus is that this pattern runs big. After looking at some of the other knitters’ measurements and the sizes they ended up knitting, I’m thinking XS is probably still going to be a little big on me. Plus I’m not doubling the yarn so there’s no way I can knit to gauge seeing as the resulting fabric will be less than ideal. So I had to do some Maths. This is also my first knit garment.

I ended up ripping the damn thing a gazillion times. You can even see the kinked yarn in the picture. As of today, I’m almost done with the bodice. Hopefully, I won’t have to do any ripping again.

Stay tuned.